"Oland", "Schmoland" One "Inserted Bit" tool is as good as another.

Heaven forbid. It's what us COCs are here for. It's in the charter...

If they're using full size bits in that little holder, the Sorby might end up being called "Aluminum handle that breaks when used"..

mac

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Arch,

Good to hear from you again, it has been a while. Thought maybe you were running out of gas, which is different from hot air.

You didn't get around to the Ellsworth/Irish/swept back gouges. Same difference though.

robo hippy

Arch,

Nothing more than marketing. Give it a "brand" name and some people will just have to have it. Personally, I never look at names. I look at features. If there is something unique or I see some sort of advantage I might buy the tool. What they call it is simply not relevant.

snippers

Nor did Columbus discover America.

I've never bought into the thing where if someone licenses their name to a tool the tool suddenly becomes better and worth a much higher price..

mac

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I guess I don't have to worry about a line of 'robo hippy' tools, though I always thought the name had possibilities. Still doing better at getting famous than I am at getting rich.

robo hippy

e:

I think the Reed Gray line sounds more "High Dollar"..

mac

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I guess that if I did come out with some tools, I would take the Doug Thompson approach, factory direct to keep quality high, and price cheap because that is what I would want if I was the customer.

robo hippy

rote:

Being that my gouges have about an inch and a half of usable flute left, those look pretty nice. Curious though - do you regrind them to a different profile or leave them as is? Sure wish I had a pair to try - one w/the V groove and one with the U.

I have an old Sorby bowl gouge, a Hamlet bowl gouge, and a couple of Henry Taylor Superflute bowl gouges. Not sure how the Thompson grooves compare in profile. Next time I make it to an AAW convention I think I'll try out every brand I can find that will let me!

So the other question is, when my gouges are finally worn to a nub, what's the best way to get the old tool out of the handle?

...Kevin

The Thompson V gouge is more of a U, and the U gouge is more of a C. He is now making a few deep fluted gouges which are more like the old Glaser deep V gouges, which I didn't really like. I prefer Dougs V gouge, the U is just a bit flat for me, more suited to the outside of a bowl. I keep the same angle, but add a bit more sweep to it, and how have made the angle a bit more blunt, in the 55 or so degree range. A little better for getting down the transition area of a bowl, and across the bottom. I haven't used my gouge jig all year. I started doing it on a platform, like Mike Mahoney and Stewart Batty. It is faster and easier, and if you want more sweep, just roll it more up. There is a You Tube video of Mike sharpening his gouges. On any of the turning forums, when 'which gouge to buy' comes up, it is about 90% Thompson. You do have to make your own handles, or you can buy some of the metal ones. I prefer big round straight with no bumps wood.

robo hippy

I put mine in the vise and twist them back & forth.. usually break free fairly easily.. If now, I use one of those small oil filter type wrenches with the rubber strap..

mac

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Thanks Reed. Looking at the photos on the site, it did seem as if it had a really wide valley on the U profile. Not sure what my nose angle is on my current gouges, but they're definitely blunter than 45.

I checked out the video. I used to do it that way, but now prefer the Oneway jig. I don't really find it any slower, but to each their own.

Think I'll order me a V gouge and keep on the lookout for a U gouge at the next symposium I'm at. Be nice to try, but the V sounds closer to what I'm using now, which I'm pretty happy with. Particularly the Sorby's profile. The Hamlet tool has a very pronounced V which gives it a pretty pointy nose. But there are times that that is just what I need.

If only I could order one of everything!

Handles are no problem I've got a number of tools w/handles I made...

...Kevin

Ever heat the shaft of the old tool? Wondering if any are epoxied in, and if that would soften the grip...

I've never had to, Kevin.. Most of them have come out pretty easily, without even removing the ferrule..

I'd just try it first.. heating could (probably wouldn't) char or weaken the handle or make the hole loose..

mac

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On Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:00:39 -0600, Kevin Miller wrote (in message ):

I have had occasion to soften epoxy joints, and yes, heat works. Epoxy is a polymer - a type of plastic, albeit a very strong one. In the case of a tool bit epoxied into a handle, it might be possible to heat the tool bit with a propane torch - carefully. Testing periodically to see if the epoxy has softened up enough to loosen its grip on the steel. The steel will conduct heat sufficiently, I think, that the wood will not get charred. Wood will char around 450 degrees F. The epoxy should let loose at a temperature much lower than that. I know there are high-temp epoxies, but it is likely the case that an ordinary variety of epoxy would be used for securing a chisel or gouge bit in a handle.

tom koehler

Hopefully I wouldn't get it that hot. I'll give it a try cold first though. Worst case I destroy it and have to sacrifice a 2x2x18 hunk of something solid.

S'later...

Thanks Tom - with any luck it won't be a problem but nice to know it's an option. Of course, I'll have to remember to not pick up the old tool immediately!

...Kevin